Marea: No Happy Hour, Oysters at $36 on Central Park South
Marea doesn’t publish a happy hour. It’s a high-end Italian seafood restaurant at 240 Central Park South, serving lunch daily 12–2:45pm and dinner from 3pm, and its New York menus list no discounted window.
The verdict: this is a special-occasion room, not a deal. The simplest way in is the raw bar, where six oysters are $36 and twelve are $58. The catch is that the rest is priced like the address: fresh white truffle can be shaved onto dishes at $120 per 4 grams. If you want a bargain near Columbus Circle, this isn’t the stop.
What to Expect
- Oysters: served with red wine mignonette, cocktail sauce and lemon, 6 for $36 or 12 for $58.
- The menu: crudi, antipasti, house-made pastas and risottos, fish and meat dishes, and desserts.
- Dinner hours: Sunday to Thursday 3–10pm, Friday and Saturday 3–11pm. Lunch is daily 12–2:45pm.
The Room
Marea won the 2010 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant and three stars from The New York Times. It has a private dining room and a cocktail lounge. The nearest trains are 59 St-Columbus Circle (1/A/B/C/D) and 57 St-7 Av (N/Q/R/W).
Who Marea Is For
| Occasion | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| A celebration dinner | Dinner service starts at 3pm and runs to 10pm or 11pm |
| An early oyster stop | 6 oysters for $36 |
| A private party | Has a private dining room |
For a discounted drink nearby, start with our Midtown happy hour guide. More seafood is in our best seafood restaurants in NYC guide, and more pasta in best Italian restaurants in NYC.